Feasibility of a musculoskeletal ultrasound intervention to improve adherence in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a proof-of concept trial

Adherence in young people living with juvenile arthritis: A systematic review

Objective

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is one of the leading causes of chronic pain in pediatric patients. Treatment regimens, which are critical to symptom management, can be burdensome, involving medication with potentially aversive side effects and exercise that can cause joint pain. Thus, it is important to examine the barriers and facilitators to adherence in JIA. While systematic reviews exist for rheumatic disease in adults, there has not yet been a synthesis of the literature examining adherence in JIA.

Methods

PsychINFO, PubMed and MEDLINE databases were systematically searched to identify qualitative and quantitative empirical studies that investigate adherence for JIA. Keywords included: patient compliance OR adherence OR persistence; youth OR children OR juvenile OR pediatric OR teen OR child OR adolescent; and rheumatoid arthritis OR idiopathic arthritis OR arthritis. Articles were excluded from the review if they involved non-human or adult samples, were non-experimental (e.g., practice recommendations), were not peer-reviewed, or were not written in English. After abstract selection, 32 articles were included in the analyses.

Results

Adherence to exercise regimens was consistently lower than adherence to medication. Researchers relied heavily on self-report of adherence, which suggests a need for additional research with more objective measures of adherence. Across studies, psychological treatment was not included, so adherence to this treatment component in JIA remains understudied.

Conclusions

Results suggest that future research should target devising and evaluating interventions to improve adherence to exercise and perhaps psychological treatment.

Implications for Impact

To facilitate adherence in JIA, behavioral health providers should focus on building a strong therapeutic alliance between provider and child, fostering positive coping skills in parents and children, and monitoring the parent-child relationship.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Childhood Arthritis Limited Examination: A Comprehensive, Reliable, Time-Efficient Assessment of Synovitis

OBJECTIVE

To develop and initially validate a comprehensive pediatric musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) joint-specific scoring system, and to determine the minimum number of joints needed to identify active disease.

METHODS

A semiquantitative scoring system was developed by consensus and initially validated by interrater reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Subsequently, newly diagnosed juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with an active joint count of >4 had a 42-joint MSUS performed at baseline and 3 months using this protocol. A minimum set of joints needed to identify all patients with synovitis on MSUS was obtained through a data reduction process. Spearman's correlation (rs ) was calculated to determine the association between MSUS findings and clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score in 10 joints (cJADAS10). Standardized response means (SMRs) were used to assess change over time.

RESULTS

The final joint-specific scoring system revealed an excellent interrater reliability (ICC 0.81-0.96) for all joints. Thirty patients were enrolled. Scanning 5 joints bilaterally (wrists, second and third metacarpophalangeal joints, knees and ankles) captured 100% of children with B-mode synovitis and had moderate correlation with the cJADAS10 at baseline (rs  = 0.45). Mean ultrasound scores at baseline and follow-up were 28.3 and 22.3, with an SRM of 0.69 (P = 0.002) for 42 joints, and 36 and 27.7, with an SRM of 0.76 (P = 0.003) for the reduced joints, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A limited MSUS examination called musculoskeletal ultrasound in childhood arthritis limited examination (MUSICAL) captures all patients with active synovitis, and our new joint-specific scoring system is highly reliable and sensitive to change.

The effect of visual interventions on illness beliefs and medication adherence for chronic conditions: A scoping review of the literature and mapping to behaviour change techniques (BCTs)

BACKGROUND

Maintaining health with chronic conditions often involves taking multiple medications; however, approximately 50% of patients with chronic conditions are non-adherent to medication. Patients' illness beliefs inform health behaviour, including medication-taking. Research has shown that visuals accompanying health information increased patient comprehension and the accuracy of illness perceptions. To date, the influence of visuals on illness beliefs and medication adherence has not been comprehensively reviewed.

OBJECTIVES

The review aimed to collate available literature on visualisation interventions for illness beliefs and medication adherence in chronic conditions and identify key intervention characteristics.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted according to recommended guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR statement. Searches used keywords relating to 'illness', 'visual', 'adherence', 'illness perception', 'intervention', and 'medication'. Six databases were searched from inception to 2019; reference-list searching provided additional articles. Articles were included if the study population had a chronic health condition, the intervention included a visual element, had a measure of illness beliefs or medication adherence. Data regarding intervention characteristics and outcomes were extracted. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were identified to provide further insight into intervention characteristics.

RESULTS

Initially, 18,012 articles were identified. Screening led to 293 full-text articles, ultimately resulting in 45 studies for final analysis. Forty-four were quantitative studies, 1 was qualitative. Studies were grouped into those using visuals to conceptualise a condition, medication reminders and educational interventions. Almost two-thirds of visual interventions were effective post-intervention, 3 sustained post-1-year, although many studies only assessed impact immediately post-intervention. BCTs from 'Natural consequences', 'Socialsupport' and 'Feedback and monitoring' categories were prevalent in effective interventions for both outcomes, particularly the 'Salience of consequences' BCT.

CONCLUSIONS

This comprehensive scoping review found that visual interventions can positively influence illness beliefs and medication adherence. These findings highlight the need to further evaluate the impact and sustainability of visual interventions.

A musculoskeletal ultrasound program as an intervention to improve disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs adherence in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of a musculoskeletal ultrasound programme (MUSP) applying real-time ultrasonography with reinforcement of findings by a rheumatologist on improving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) adherence in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Method: Eligible RA patients with low adherence score (< 6) on the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) were randomized to either an intervention group (receiving MUSP at baseline) or a control group (no MUSP), and followed up for 6 months. Adherence measures (patient-reported and pharmacy dispensing records) and clinical efficacy data were collected. The MUSP's feasibility and acceptability were assessed.Results: Among 132 recruited RA patients, six without baseline visits were excluded; therefore, 126 patients were analysed (62 intervention and 64 control). The primary outcome (proportion of patients with 1 month MMAS-8 score < 6) was significantly smaller (p = 0.019) in the intervention (35.48%) than the control group (56.25%). However, 3 and 6 month adherence and clinical efficacy outcomes were not significantly different between the two groups (all p > 0.05). All 62 patients completed the MUSP (mean time taken, 9.2 min), with the majority reporting moderately/very much improved understanding of their joint condition (71%) and the importance of regularly taking their RA medication(s) (79%). Most patients (90.3%) would recommend the MUSP to another RA patient.Conclusions: The MUSP improved RA patients' DMARDs adherence in the short term and was feasible and well accepted by patients. Future studies could evaluate whether repeated feedback using MUSP could help to sustain the improvement in DMARD adherence in RA patients, and whether this may be clinically impactful and cost-effective.

Juvenile-Versus Adult-Onset Spondyloarthritis: Similar, but Different

This article provides an overview of juvenile spondyloarthritis and important differences in the classification criteria, clinical presentation, outcomes, and pathology in juvenile versus adult-onset disease. Key differences in classification criteria between children and adults with spondyloarthritis are important to understand, as they can make transition from pediatric to adult care challenging. MRI and ultrasonography are increasingly relied on for the assessment of adult-onset disease activity and change over time in the pediatric population. The unique features of the maturing axial and peripheral skeleton are described for each modality, as they are key to understand for accurate interpretation of pathology in the pediatric population.

Feasibility and acceptability of an innovative adherence intervention for young adults with childhood-onset systemic Lupus Erythematosus

BACKGROUND

In Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (cSLE), poor medication adherence rates are very high. Interventions targeting this problem in cSLE are limited thus effective interventions are needed. The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility and acceptability an intervention (automated digital reminders + personalized prescribed treatment plan (pPTP)) to improve medication adherence in young adults with cSLE over 3 months.

METHOD

This is a proof-of-concept randomized controlled study. All participants received SimpleMed+ pillboxes that track adherence. The treatment group received a pPTP, and in month 2, preselected digital reminders for missed doses. Reminders were discontinued after 30 days and adherence data collected. Data analysis was done using t-tests.

RESULTS

Twenty-one participants were approached and nineteen consented to participate, yielding a recruitment rate of 86%. Participants were on average 20.5 years, mostly black (58%) and female (84%). Of the nineteen consented, eleven were randomized to control (57%) and eight to treatment (42%) groups respectively. All participants in the treatment group rated the pillbox as easy to use, notably; none reported boredom with the pillbox or reminders. Also, 88% of participants in the treatment group rated the pillbox as helpful, however, only 50% reported the pPTP taught them new information about lupus or made them more interested in their lupus management.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first use of an electronic pillbox to track adherence to multiple medications in cSLE. The high rating of the pillbox makes it an acceptable method of measuring adherence. Feasibility and acceptability ratings for the intervention were mixed suggesting a there is a subset of cSLE patients for whom this intervention would be beneficial. Future research should focus on a larger trial.

Emergence of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Use in Pediatric Rheumatology

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize recent international efforts on standardization and validation of pediatric musculoskeletal ultrasound and determine its role in diagnosis and monitoring of disease in pediatric rheumatology.

RECENT FINDINGS

Over the past decade, significant progress has been made on building the evidence base for musculoskeletal ultrasound in pediatric rheumatology. This includes the clear definition of the sonographic appearance of the normal pediatric joint and enthesis on ultrasonography, definitions for pathology, and the establishment of a specific scoring system for the pediatric knee. Ultrasonography has been shown to have an important role in the detection of subclinical synovitis and can predict flares in children considered to be in remission clinically. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is likely going to play an important role in complementing the clinical exam especially in juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Given the powerful therapeutic tools available, it will support early diagnosis and precisely determine remission status. In a treat to target approach, it will greatly help to define the targets that need to be reached.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound in children: Current state and future directions

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of chronic inflammatory arthritides that if inadequately treated, may be associated with chronic disability and deformity. Early diagnosis and treatment initiation is essential in the management of patients with JIA. Conventional means of evaluation of disease presence, disease activity and response to therapy including physical exam, labs and x-rays are at times limited and may be insufficient in making an accurate assessment. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) is a well-established modality that is patient and family-friendly, non-invasive, does not require sedation and can be performed at the bedside in real-time. MSUS offers information that cannot be attained by standard outcome measures, and may help to advance both diagnosis and treatment of patients with JIA ultimately improving patient outcomes. This review explores the background of MSUS and the current evidence to support its potential role as a diagnostic, disease activity monitoring and interventional tool.